Splash of Color Challenge - Gold and Polymer Entries

Jane Font of Daisy Jane Designs sent me this lovely Floral Pendant. Jane uses gemstones in most of her pieces so to challenge herself she added gold paste to accent her handmade flowers. The vines, leaves, and flowers were all done using a syringe. Once it was fired Jane applied the gold paste in two coats. Jane then fired the gold with a butane torch and then polished, applied a patina and polished again.

Jane's Gold Floral Pendant

Teresa Swanson of T's Studio Jewelry sent me her Banana Leaf Fine Silver ladybug ring. This fine silver leaf ring is adorned with a polymer clay ladybug. Teresa handcrafted the ring's leaf-like texture and shape.

Teresa's Ladybug Ring

Ruth Baillie of Bird Land Creations she sent me her "You Raise Me Up Pendant". This piece was Ruth's first attempt of incorporating liquid polymer into her silver jewelry. She found that liquid polymer peeled of the silver after it was cooked but when she added a thin layer of colorless resin the liquid polymer stuck to her silver balloon permanently. She felt that the liquid polymer gave her balloon a rubbery appearance she was trying to achieve. The idea of the necklace is that the wearer can remember those people in her life who have "raised her up".

Ruth's You Raise Me Up Pendant

So I, Christine Childress of Clever Endeavor, finally finished my first enamel piece last night. I achieved the simple star shapes by using photo polymer plates. I then added two layers of Prussian blue enamel using my ultra light kiln. I am pleased with my result for my first try.

Christine's Blue Enamel Star Pendant

Beverly Gallerani of Mango Tango Designs sent me her Bronzclay Seashell Arched Window Necklace and Earrings set. The bronzclay pieces were fired in the activated carbon and were held under a torched to bring out the very rich patina colors.

Beverly's Bronzclay Seashell Arched Window Earrings and Pendant

Penelope Dunham of Penelopes Passion sent me her 24K Gold Leaf Square Pendant. Penelope used the ancient Korean technique of Keum-boo, to bond the 24 Karat gold foil to the fine silver jewelry surface.

Penelope's 24K Gold Leaf Pendant

Splash of Color Challenge - Gemstone Entries

With so many talented artists within the Etsy MetalClay Group, I thought it would be fun to incorporate a Monthly Challenge. Nothing too competitive mind you, more of a opportunity to learn new techniques and trying something new. The Challenge for this month was called "Splash of Color" All jewelry pieces had to incorporate color into the pieces via gemstones, enamel, resin, polymer. I had a huge response from the team (16 entries) so I will present our different Splash of Color Entries by category. This first set of entries utilized glass and gemstones to bring a pop of color to their silver pieces.

Lisel Crowley of Heart of the Fire sent me this dichroic glass butterfly with textured silver wings. I wonder if this beautiful butterfly is traveling with Lisel to the Philly Show this weekend?

Lisel's Dichroic Butterfly Pendant

Penelope Dunham of Penelopes Passion sent me her Silk Fire Pendant. This pendant also incorporates the use of dichroic glass and silver. I love how the glass seems to be bursting from the silver.

Penelope's Silk Fire Pendant

Alina of Silver Garden submitted her Artist Palette Pendant. This cute pendant is formed from Fine Silver with three cubic zirconia stones, a peridot and a lab grown blue spinel. The palette has leaf textured surface and is suspended off an 18" sterling silver snake chain.

Alina's Artist Palette Pendant

Oshrat Ben-Isaac of Terra Firma Studios sent me her Party of Five Pendant. This gemstone pendant contains five diffrent colored cubic zirconia.

Oshrat Party of Five Pendant

Catherine Witherell of Happy Day Art submitted her Amethyst Drop Flower Pendant. The PMC Flower pendant is decorated with three amethyst drops and fused fine silver connection rings.

Catherine's Amethyst Drop Flower Pendant

Karen West of Eggtooth Originals submitted her Night Forest Pendant. Karen's Pendant features a moonstone against her organic silver design.

Karen's Night Forest Pendant